Are You Lost?
by Razzbairee
Summary: Kasumi knew she would never see her home again & would forever wander about the forest. And unfortunately for her, Brad seems to have lost his way. Time for an exploration with a Bohemian! DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Not mine & never will be! . . . Reality is a cruel, cruel thing . . .

Kasumi's POV!

Chapter 1

I was running again. It was every night that I was running. I was running past the trees & over the bushes & logs that were in my way. I could hear them behind me. They were still the same distance since the time I was at the stream.

I had to turn & fight them some time. I couldn't just keep running. So I turned & pulled out my wakizashi from the sheath on my back. There were shurikens coming at me. I had to block them with the wakizashi. When I saw that it was clear, I ran again. They were in the trees as well. One of them dropped down & tried to attack me with his katana. I caught the wind & let it carry me off. Then I let go & dropped down into a willow tree. I was in the willow forest now, far off, almost out of the forest into civilization. And if I were lucky then they wouldn't find me. But I knew they were smarter than that. It was just as though they could smell me in the wind. 

I stood with my back against the bark of the tree. I had to be quiet to not give myself away. They were just below me, therefore they were able to follow me in the wind. They stood there in defense. They were ready for any attack I was planning to make. I wasn't planning on making any. If I could get away from them by not fighting them then I would. Killing wasn't something I believed in. How could someone instantly take someone else's life without remorse? But I won't lie to you; I have murdered a few of them out of self-defense.

One of them pointed up at me, but was still looking at his comrades. I nearly gasped out of shock.

_They found me._

There was a sound behind me. One of them was there. I ducked out of instinct. He threw his katana into the willow tree. Then I jumped.

_Shurikens__!_

I caught the wind again only for a short time & dropped off into a brush. It hurt the way it was scratching against my skin, cutting me & my clothes, but I _had_ to lose them. The brush was tall enough. I was crawling until I was at a safe spot. They were right behind me. They knew where I was & could attack me if they wanted. I was lucky enough to crawl until I was tumbling down a hill. I tried not to, but the land was too rugged. The brush was cutting me so badly. But it was worth it to get away.

I tumbled to a stop at the foot of another willow tree. They were quick. One katana was coming at my head. I rolled out of the way & stood up as fast as I could. One of them was ahead of the others. He held his katana in front of him, ready to attack me. I smelt water & looked behind me. I was on a cliff & backing up towards a river below it. The other ninjas were coming down the hill.

_This is it, Kasumi._

I pulled out my wakizashi & got ready for a difficult fight. The ninja closest to me finally threw his katana at me. I sidestepped then sidestepped again when he attacked me a second time.

_The third time's the last!_

When he came at me a third time, I stepped one leg aside & let the other one trip him off the cliff. He was falling, that was good, but what was bad was that he was taking me with him.

_Let go!_

He had lunged at my chest & got a hold of my collar. We both fell off towards the river. I was so afraid that I was screaming. It was a long fall! The ninja still had a hold of my collar & threw his fist into my face. Even though we were falling, he was still determined to kill me for the sake of the clan. That was how loyal they were.

I realized I still had my wakizashi in my hand, but I put it away. If he was fighting without a weapon, then so was I. 

I was able to hit him back then knee him before we plunged into the river.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Well, would you look at that . . ."

There were rocks digging into my back & I was cold from the wind & the water splashing on me. 

"I can sell this."

I sat up from my mangled position as best I could. I was still weary from that night. And my face was hurting from the blow given to me by the ninja.

"Hey, hold it. Let me help you."

Someone placed their hands under my arms & dragged me away from the water. I didn't know who it was, but by the strong hands & voice, it was a man. I hadn't opened my eyes yet. So when I did, I saw him.

"Brad . . .?"

He was crouching down in front of me, smiling, because I remembered him. 

I looked around me. I was still in the forest & near the river, but more downstream.

_The river must have carried me here. Am I near civilization?_

I was when I was in the willow forest.

_What is Brad doing in __Japan__?_

"Um, Brad . . . Where am I?"

"I dunno," he was standing, scratching his head, "I was at a party, drinking a few bottles of wine then the next thing I knew, I was in this forest."

"Are you lost?"

"I guess so . . ."

I sighed, feeling sorry for him. During the third tournament, he was always drunk from all the wines he had. I was surprised he was even able to fight. But don't take me the wrong way, I think he's an excellent fighter! And would be better without the wine . . .

When I tried to stand up, Brad insisted on helping me. I told him I wasn't badly hurt, but he did it anyway.

_He's so nice . . . Is he drunk?_

I felt my hair. It was wet & my ribbon was missing.

_My favorite ribbon . . ._

I looked at Brad who was still smiling, about to ask him about my ribbon. But then I saw it in his hair. He had it wrapped in his hair like a little bow.

"Brad, that's mine!" I said, holding up his ponytail that held it.

"Oh! Here."

He took it off & handed it back to me. As I was typing my hair back into my ponytail, he was still smiling at me.

_He's drunk . . ._

Then I saw my wakizashi on his side.

"Brad! That's mine, too!" I told him, pointing at it.

"What? Oh."

He took it off his waist then handed it to me, "Thought you were pointing at something else . . ."

_What?_

I ignored him & placed my wakizashi & its sheath back behind me.

"Why'd you take all my things?" I asked him with my hands on my hips.

"You still have your clothes, don't you?"

". . ."

I suppose I was lucky. 

He turned around & walked off, muttering something about him thinking I was dead. I noticed he wasn't wearing any shoes. He was stepping on the rocks as though they brought no pain to him. Me, I would never walk on rugged land without something protecting my feet. And he was wearing his usual clothes. The ones that were dark & made out of silky & leather fabric. And he had a sack hanging off his shoulder & a flask of wine at his side.

_Where is he going? Does he want me to follow?_

I could hear cars southeast of me.

_The city._

"Brad, the city's that way!" I shouted at him, pointing at its direction.

He turned back to look at me, "Oh, it is? Well, let's go then!"

_I can't go to the city! The ninja's will follow me there & people's lives will be in danger!_

"I can't," I told him, "Go by yourself."

He had my wrist in his hand with a smile on his face. But it went away as soon as I said it.

"Why?"

"If I go, people's lives will be in danger," I made him realize while taking his hand off my wrist & placing it at his side, "My brother will send them after me."

". . . You must be forgetting, uh . . ."

"Kasumi."

"Kasumi! The city is just a forest of concrete! I'm sure they'll never find you there!"

_Maybe so . . ._

He was grinning ear to ear now. 

"C'mon!"

He grabbed my wrist & took me with him.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I grasped my wakizashi from beneath my clothing. If it were to fall, then I would be exposed. Blades were forbidden to be in possession in Japan along with other weapons. I told Brad about this. It wouldn't fit in his sack so he suggested we find another sack for me to put it in.

We were also in search of clothing. The ones we were wearing now were too revealing. We wanted to look casual if we wanted to fit in with the crowd. Besides, Brad wasn't wearing any shoes . . .

The ninjas would run along the rooftops to look for me. They wouldn't enter the city as a normal citizen. It was part of the code. I wasn't sure if we were being followed when we were in the forest though. Hopefully, we weren't. But the clan is smarter than that. The ninjas from last night would go back to the clan & inform Hayate that they last saw me in the willow forest near the city. So they would probably be here _in_ the city.

Brad & I were in the city of Kofu. It was very crowded. There were people all around us, viewing the little shops. They sold all sorts of things, mostly jewelry. But we hadn't found any clothing. There were even children, carrying around baskets of strawberries. It was spring, the strawberry season.

We were walking through the crowd, trying our best not bump into anyone. I was hoping that they wouldn't bump into my side & cause my wakizashi to fall. We were also getting looks from some of the people, because of our clothing. Brad said that if anybody asked, we just came from a costume party. But I knew nobody was going to believe that. I was moist & sort of dirty. I was sort of a mess. On the way to the city, we had to hike up the terrain. If you were to fall, you wouldn't get severely hurt, because grass was all around the terrain. Brad had sung the whole way. Sometimes, he would hum & sometimes he would whistle. He kept looking behind him at me. I was taking my time. I wasn't sure if I was looking forward to the city or not. He saw that I wasn't smiling even when we looked each other in the eye. I would have, but I wasn't in the mood. So he told me to sing with him. I told him I didn't want to, but he kept telling to despite that. So I tried to sing the rhyme with him. I didn't know the song very well, but I sang. Not very loud though. But it made him happy.

"You're such a sad girl!" he told me, "You'd look beautiful if you smiled."

I tried to hide my blush from him, but he saw & laughed. Kept singing, too.

_I shouldn't give him a hard time._

"Hey, look!"

I looked up from the ground to see Brad, pointing straight ahead towards a store across the street. There were sacks & clothing in the display window. But they were heavily decorated.

"Those look too expensive," I told him, "We should look elsewhere."

He looked down at me & I couldn't tell if he was mad or confused, "How poor do you think I am?!"

I was surprised by his outburst. The crowd was getting even more suspicious of us.

"Brad, keep your voice down."

"C'mon, they're very pretty."

He took my hand that was holding my wakizashi & led me towards the store. I had to use my other hand to hold it in place. I probably looked really suspicious holding onto my clothing that way.

As soon as we were in the store, he let me go then went off to explore. A store attendant walked up to me & greeted me with a huge smile on her face. I said thank you in reply. Then she asked me if I was looking for something in particular. I didn't really know what I wanted. I didn't shop often so I just told her I was looking for a bag & maybe a dress. She seemed to know where to find them, because her eyes lit up.

"Follow me."

She led me through the bundles of clothing, passing Brad on the way. We came to a wall possessing a couple of purses. Before she could tell me about any of them, I told her they were too small. So she led me a couple of steps away to another wall with sacks. I looked through them then found a pink sack with a flower on the side. I couldn't help, but smile at it!

"I'll take this!" I told her while holding up the sack.

"Okay, then!"

She walked off towards the counter.

_I don't have any money . . . Where's Brad? _

I looked around the store in search of him, hopping to see over the bundles of clothing. Then I saw him near the dressing area. He was in front of a mirror in a white outfit with blue jeans. I went over to him to tell him that I found something. He spun around to look at me, startling me at his sudden movement.

"You like it?" he asked me with a smile on his face, then he turned back towards the mirror, "Or is it too original?"

_Original?_

"It's fine. Just fine."

He gave me a look.

"Thank you. I appreciate it," he said with sarcasm, "Is that what you're getting?"

He was pointing at my sack. I told him yes. He stared at it, pondering.

_Is something wrong?_

"I picked something out for you. It's over there."

_He picked something out for me?_

I could only imagine what it was. I was afraid to look behind me, but there it was, a kimono & some zoris on a bench.

"I wasn't really sure what you like," I heard Brad say.

_Well, it's . . . not bad. _

I held it up, looking it over. It was white with a light blue obi sash. It was actually very beautiful! But when I turned it around, imprinted on the back was "Look, but you can't touch!" I just stared at it, wondering if my eyes were deceiving me. I never knew they made clothing like _that_.

"Brad?"

"Yeah?"

He had his usual grin on his face. Then I noticed the letters on his shirt: "Role Model" They were so huge, they seemed to be stripes.

_What kind of a store is this?!_

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I sat, staring out the window while resting my head on my hand. In my other hand was the shake Brad bought for me. I asked him where he got the money for these things & he replied that he had been fighting & doing simple tasks for money back in China.

_So that's how he gets his wine . . ._

It was dark out. Streets were all across the city. There were only a few people out now. I looked up at the sky while taking a sip of my shake. The sky brought back memories. Memories of my brother & I playing around the oak tree. Playing you run, I chase. I would chase after him around the oak tree trying to tag him. But since he was older, he was faster & would tease me while I chased him. But when I fall, he would pick me up, asking if I were okay. Fireflies were fluttering about all over the place. They were our only light. Hayate taught me how to catch them under that sky. When I caught my first one, I was so happy. I wanted to take it home & keep it, just to watch it glow.

"Without fireflies, Kasumi," Hayate had said, holding the jar I used to catch the firefly, "Who would light the forest for us?"

So I had to let it go.

"They're free spirits, Kasumi."

I watched the firefly fly away under the same sky I run.

"Aw, no . . ."

I had been daydreaming & some of the shake slipped onto my kimono. Yes, surprisingly, I was wearing it. I tried to wipe some of it off with a napkin when Brad came back.

"Looks like you made a mess."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"I use bleach on my whites. You should, too."

I had been listening to the ladies' conversation for a while now. Brad was outside the laundry mat, entertaining some of the people by balancing spoons on his nose & receiving money in return. It was sort of funny. Brad was really tall, taller than everyone out there. He had to look down & they had to look up.

I turned from the window & continued to watch the machine wash my clothes while listening to their conversation.

"It gets all the dirt out. All of it."

I wrapped the jacket tighter around my body & pulled my sack closer to me. It was the jacket Brad bought. It was big to cover me up. I had only my undergarments on underneath it & the zoris so that was why I kept pulling the jacket tighter to make sure there was nothing showing.

I could see my obi sash colliding with my kimono & shinobi wear.

_Hurry.__ I don't know how much more of this I can stand . . ._

Hopefully, I wouldn't have to do anything to expose myself. I was really uncomfortable. I didn't want Brad to leave me in the laundry mat nearly naked, but he said he would only take a few minutes. And it was more than a few minutes.

"Oh, I don't use _that_. It ruined my dress last year."

I started to tap my foot & tap hands on my lap. I was feeling impatient. I turned back towards the window to see if Brad was anywhere near done. He was still entertaining the crowd, but now balancing something bigger: bowling pins.

_Where is he getting these things? Are they giving them to him?_

More people were coming to watch him.

_Well, he does have talent . . ._

A girl in the back of the crowd pushed through to get closer to Brad. He stopped, taking the pins off his nose to talk to the girl. He looked at me then back at the girl. I saw her jumping up & down to see over the crowd to find . . . me!

_Oh, no . . ._

It was Ayane. I recognized that hair anywhere. She was in search of me.

_Oh, no, not here!_

She pushed through the crowd to reach the laundry mat window. I started to stand up when she pressed onto the window & pointed at me with a smile on her face.

_So you found me . . ._

I couldn't run. She would reach me eventually. But I wasn't going to fight her. Not here in the city, around all the innocent people. 

Ayane walked slowly over to the door, keeping her eyes on me. I went over to the aisle leading to the door & waited for her to enter. But I wasn't going to fight. When she was close to me, she surprised me by throwing her arm around my shoulders.

_What is she . . .?_

"What are you doing here, Kasumi?" she asked me.

Her face was so close to mine. I tried to pull away, but she held me tighter. She had her mischievous grin on her face. She must have been imagining ending my life right there in front of those people. But don't take me the wrong way, I love her, I truly do, but she doesn't feel the same for me. She hates me, because I'm the 'heroine' & she was born of unmarried parents therefore people treated her badly & treated me better. I never thought it was fair. And sometimes I didn't notice. I always tried to look after her. And she must have forgotten all the great things I've done for her, because of her jealousy. Saying I love you wouldn't fix anything. She wants so badly to get rid of me just to be respected among the clan.

"I'm here w-" 

I stopped myself from saying anymore. If I were to say I was here with Brad, then he would be in for the worse.

"I-"

"I what?"

". . ."

"You know the code, Kasumi. You run, you die."

". . . Ayane, I'm not fighting you. Not here."

"Then let's go somewhere else."

She let me go, but took me by the hand. She pulled, but I didn't budge. If I didn't go anywhere, then I don't fight. She turned to look back at me with an angry look. I pried my hand from hers & she understood what I meant.

She put her hands on her hips, "Fine. Suit it yourself. You leave me no choice."

She pulled out a wakizashi from behind her back.

_What?! Where did she get that?!_

The people were staring at us now.

Ayane ran towards me, ready to attack. I _had_ to run. I jumped before she get hit me with the wakizashi, landed on top of the bench, grabbed my sack, then headed out the laundry mat at a fast pace. I looked at Brad on the way & he looked at me, obviously curious. But I had no time to explain. I had to leave him for now to get away from Ayane.

I was running down the sidewalk, trying to avoid the crowd. But it was too difficult. I said sorry to all the people I bumped into or knocked over. It was the least I could do. I couldn't help them up, because I could sense Ayane only a few yards behind me. Then almost out of nowhere, a katana came straight for my head! I bent backwards to avoid it. It came at me again & I ducked to see who was attacking me. A ninja! He was dressed in all black & that was why I didn't see him.

When he came at me for the third time, I jumped, stepped on him, then went behind him to run again. I had to temporarily knock him down to get away. I could hear a woman scream & some of the people saying "Look!" & "He has a sword!" behind me. Hopefully, they wouldn't mistakenly hurt anyone.

It was too crowded where I was. The walk across the street from me was clearer. I had to go that way to keep the people out of danger. Before I could, I sensed someone behind me. I caught the wind & landed across the street onto the walk just in time to avoid the katana. I couldn't stop. I had to keep running. I ran across the walk into a park, passing the trees, & jumping the fences. They were far behind me. I was heading towards an alleyway. I could lose them there. But just before I could enter it, I was knocked onto the ground. I fell, my face meeting the dirt & grass. It hurt so bad, I was dizzy. I tried to stand up, but someone jumped onto my back.

"You think you can get away that easily?"

It was Ayane. How she was able to catch up with me, I didn't know. I must have been predictable.

_I have to get up._

"Ugh!"

Her weight was lifted off my back & I was able to stand again.

_What happened?_

I turned around to see Brad, looking down at Ayane. She was on the ground, but she quickly jumped up ready to fight again.

"Is this what I think it is?" Brad said, "Are you trying to hurt your own sister?"

"Sister or no sister, she broke the code!" Ayane yelled at him, "Get out of my way or you will fall with her!"

Brad looked at me.

_He isn't willing to stay & fight is he?_

The ninjas landed behind Ayane with their katanas in hand.

_He shouldn't._

"Brad, you should go!" I told him.

A smile appeared on Brad's face.

"This isn't your fight!"

"I'll make it my fight."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

There were five ninjas & Ayane. And there were only two of us. We probably would have a good chance at defeating them, but Ayane would be a problem. I just hoped that Brad would be able to fight off the ninjas. I don't believe he ever fought one before. They were really different from your average person. They were trained to pursue & kill.

Ayane whispered something to the ninjas. That was when they moved. They circled us, keeping their eyes on us. But I wasn't planning on making any moves. At least not yet. I had to think of a plan. But I wasn't sure about Brad. He was just standing there. I needed to find out what he was up to.

"What do you suggest we do?"

"Whichever one comes close, attack. Simple, right?"

He had no idea how fierce these ninjas were. That strategy wasn't going to work.

"But that's not wise. We should stick together. Look out for each other. We're outnumbered. We could get attacked from behind if we attack whoever comes close."

"True. So what do you suggest?"

"I . . . I don't know . . ."

"Fine, we'll follow my plan."

One of the ninjas finally decided to attack. He was after Brad, but Brad just fell onto the floor & laid there.

_What is he doing?! Get up! You can't do that!_

I was paying too close attention to Brad & forgot about the attacking ninja. He missed Brad, but then came after me instead. I had to think fast & move quickly. I reached into my sack, pulled out my wakizashi, & was able to stop his blade from connecting with my face. But he was stronger than I was. His blade was pushing mine closer to my nose & I was getting closer to the floor. And I could see the determination in his eyes. He really wanted to end my life & be honored by Hayate & the rest of the clan. And to think that I could have been their leader if I hadn't gone on a search for Hayate.

I was worried that one of the other ninjas would attack me while I was in this state. Brad wasn't helping at all. He was just laying there!

_A little help would be nice!_

A ninja came at me from behind. Brad finally pitched in & tripped the ninja holding me down onto the ground with his legs, giving me time to swing my wakizashi behind me. I was a little too late though. His katana got me in my shoulder, but I was also able to get him as well & pulled my wakizashi back. I hated to do it, but there was no other way. I didn't want to turn around & see him fall, but I heard it, which was just as horrible. And my shoulder was bleeding. It hurt badly & I could barely hold my wakizashi up. I had to switch to my left hand for now.

Brad was finally off the ground with a concerned look on his face.

_Yes, it was all your fault for not acting sooner._

"Ugh!"

Ayane had jumped on top of me & pushed me into the ground once again. I could hear her swing her wakizashi at someone. It must have been Brad. I got concerned, because he didn't have a blade. And Ayane is just as dangerous with a wakizashi as she was with her own two hands. I picked myself up to see if Brad was doing okay against her. She was swinging in all directions even from behind & Brad was dodging them as best he could. He bent backwards & kicked Ayane in the chin. She was sort of stunned.

_Ah, good!_

But I couldn't watch & praise for long. They appeared out of nowhere it seemed & stood over me, each holding their katanas high. I caught the wind & kicked one of them in his head before they could drive their katanas into me. He fell down in front of his comrades. I could tell the rest of them were glaring at me now. Four against one, I've had worse. I held my wakizashi in front of me, ready to defend myself against whatever attack they were planning to pull off. It felt strange, because it was in my left hand. That was my disadvantage. Yes, we were trained to be able to hold a blade in both hands, but I haven't done it in a while. And old tricks tend to get rusty.

As soon as their comrade was up, they got into their position which was all the same. They looked like dolls on display, holding their katanas the same way & their left foot in front of them. I wasn't sure if I was ready for whatever they were planning to pull off or not. I just had to wait for them to attack. And they did. All at once. I had to jump back. Then one of them came at me as soon as they missed. I blocked his attack with my wakizashi, but then another came at me instantly. I had to jump back again. They took turns throwing their blade at me. As soon as one of them was done, the other attacked instantly. I had to keep blocking until I found an opening. But I was pretty sure that if I did find an opening that I wouldn't have time to execute it, because one of them would try to attack me. This was actually a strategy I've never seen before.

_What are you teaching them, Hayate?_

Two of them jumped in the air. I thought they were going to land behind me, but instead I saw them land in front of one of the trees in the park. As soon as I saw Brad near the tree as well, I knew they were after him & the ones that stayed were trying to prevent me from helping him.

_Where's Ayane?_

My question was answered. She was behind me. She wrapped her legs around my neck & threw me off to the side. I rolled until I hit a tree.

_Like to get me from behind, does she?_

I was getting angry. Out of all of them one was down from all my work. Brad wasn't getting anywhere either, because he didn't have a blade. Ayane & the two ninjas were slowly coming towards me. I could see Brad behind them, trying to fend off the other two ninjas. He managed to grab one of them, trip him, & land his leg on top of neck. The ninja didn't get up after that. And Brad had the chance to take the katana, but he didn't.

_Why didn't he take the katana?!_

"It ends here, Kasumi," Ayane was talking, "We're tired of chasing after you."

She whispered something to one of the ninjas & he turned around to go after Brad. I _had_ to help him or else he could be done for! I quickly jumped up & caught the wind. That second while I was in the wind, I saw Ayane's wakizashi glow in purple light. She hacked at my petals then instantly I felt a pain in my chest. I didn't realize it until I opened my eyes that I was falling towards the ground. I tried to catch the wind again, but it didn't work. Instead, every time I tried, my head hurt badly.

_What is wrong?!_

I screamed as the ground came nearer & nearer. Then. He came. And I was swept off into the wind.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"You shouldn't eat that . . ."

"Why?"

"It's poisonous."

I looked up to see Brad spitting out pieces of some leaves.

"I thought you said I could eat it!" he said to Hayabusa.

"No, I said you could eat that over there," Hayabusa nodded over to the plants by the tree as he weaved the pieces of grass & twigs together, "But I don't understand why you're so hungry."

"I haven't eaten since I found Kasumi . . ."

"Well . . . the fish won't be done till a couple more minutes. Your mouth is going to burn. Drink this," he handed Brad a flask.

"Is it alcoholic?"

". . . No."

Brad shrugged & drank from the flask.

Hayabusa & I were weaving grass & twigs together while we waited. We've been with him since he saved me & Brad from Ayane & the ninjas. When I mentioned I couldn't catch the wind, he told me that Ayane used some type of curse upon me & it would last for a while. When I asked him what a while was, he couldn't give me a specific answer. I never knew she could do that.

"It seems they've been experimenting with different properties," Hayabusa had said earlier.

It was the morning now. The three of us were sitting around the fire where the fish were being cooked. Even though it was a peaceful, carefree moment, just the three of us together, I could sense that Hayabusa was on the watch for the ninjas. His katana was just behind him. And at the tiniest of noises, I saw his eyes jolt to the side. I had told him that I shouldn't be around him. I shouldn't even be around Brad just for the safety of the both of them. But Hayabusa wasn't afraid. I doubted they would come for me in the daylight. Usually, it was around sunset or night & I wouldn't be able to get any sleep. But I had gotten a good night's sleep last night, because Hayabusa was with me. Brad & I had slept in a cave that Hayabusa had chosen for us. It was concealed behind some trees. Hayabusa had kept the lookout the whole night. And in the morning, when I had awoken, I asked him if he wanted to sleep, but he said no. I knew he wouldn't. But I felt grateful that Hayabusa was doing this for me & Brad. He even treated the wound on my back.

_He's too nice . . ._

"A halo!" I said as I put the halo that I made out of grass & twigs on my head.

Brad looked up at me & so did Hayabusa. They both nodded, complimenting me.

"What are you making Hayabusa?" I asked him.

He held it up & . . . well . . . it didn't look like anything I've seen.

"What is it?" Brad & I asked at the same time.

He gave us a confused look. Then I realized that he didn't really know what it was either. I tried not to laugh at him. I weaved more often than he did.

"I'm not done yet," he then went back to weaving.

I thought I saw a smile on his face.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Brad & I left Hayabusa that afternoon. When we were leaving, I sensed a sort of uneasiness from Hayabusa. He must not have wanted me to go.

Brad had suggested we follow the sun so we headed east. We didn't actually know where we were going. And it didn't matter as long as we were far away from the ninjas. I didn't want Brad's life to be in danger again.

We walked for a long while in the warm sun. The trees provided shade for us as we walked. Brad & I held our sacs over our shoulders. I kept my wakizashi at my side & he kept his flasks at his. And he was _still_ wearing that outfit . . .

The rocks & twigs on the ground dug into my feet through the zoris. Often Brad had to stop just because of me. My feet were hurting from all roots & rocks I tripped over or stepped on. Brad insisted on carrying me or at least letting me wear his shoes. But I kept saying no & that I was fine. At least I wasn't just wearing that jacket anymore. Hayabusa had given me some new clothes to wear. He had only a brown shirt & green pants to spare. No shoes. He insisted on going back to his shop & bringing back some shoes, but I didn't want him to. He had already done enough for me.

"Ow . . ."

"What is it? Did you fall again?"

I looked back at the root sticking out of the ground.

"Yes, I'm fine," I said back as I wiped the dirt off of my hands.

I then stood up, wiping the dirt off my knees. I looked up to see Brad looking at me.

"For someone who spends most of her time in the woods, you sure do trip over things a lot."

_Well . . ._

"I could carry you if your feet are hurting. We're not going to get anywhere with you tripping all the time . . . But then again it's not like we're trying to get somewhere at a certain time . . ."

"Ah, no, I'm okay. Really."

But that didn't stop him. He took my sac off my shoulder, put it over his, & then turned around, crouching.

"Hop on. C'mon, let's go."

I finally gave in & hopped onto his back.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Are you getting tired yet?"

"No."

"Okay."

I asked Brad this so many times, because I didn't want him carrying me if it would make him tired.

The sun was starting to set. We had seen nothing, but trees ever since we left. Well, I did see a couple of squirrels, but they ran away, up the trees as soon as we came into view. And me & Brad shared a couple of conversations here & there. Then we would be silent.

I was getting tired from Brad carrying me. As much as I didn't want to, I set my head on his shoulders & closed my eyes.

"Hey, look, a river."

I looked up & saw a field of tall, yellow grass. Brad stood at the top of a hill, overlooking the field. With the sun behind us, our shadow stretched across the field until it stopped at a river. Brad carefully went down the steep hill.

"Watch out for snakes," I told him as he walked through the tall grass.

"Hey, look. There's something there."

"What is it?"

". . . I don't know . . ."

There was something black lying near the riverbank. It didn't move at all. I kept my eyes on it as Brad got closer. He stopped beside it & we both looked down at it. Then I knew what it was.

"Could it be . . .?"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Is that . . . ?" I looked over at Brad's finger pointing at him, "Is he dead?"

"He has a blade through himself. Of coarse, he is dead," I told him, sensing his discomfort.

I hopped down off his back & knelt down beside the ninja. He was on his stomach & the end of his blade was torn through his drenched clothing & stood out of his back. I touched the end of the blade so I could get a sense of the death.

_It was suicide._

And it was recently. But I wondered why.

"Don't tell me they're killing themselves if they come back empty-handed . . ."

_Empty-handed?_

I felt insulted by Brad's remark. He must have thought the clan I was raised in was harsh & inhuman! We are human! We have emotions just like everybody else! We feel things! And truthfully, it _can_ be harsh at times, but never would the clan die over that.

"Hayate wouldn't be that coldhearted!" I told him, standing up, "He would let them try again!"

I didn't want to turn around to look at him. He must have felt bad, because I said that. And I usually didn't like to make people feel bad.

I heard his voice from behind me, "My mistake . . ."

I sighed.

_There's nothing to do here._

I started to leave down the river when Brad stopped me.

"Don't we have to do something here?" he asked me.

I turned to look at him then the ninja, "Like what?"

"We can't just leave him here!"

"What do you suggest we do?"

"Haven't you buried somebody before?! Or do you just leave fallen companions where they fell?"

". . ."

He was doing it again. He thought he understood the way of the shinobi. I was getting angry by this.

I took his hand off my shoulder, "Yes, we do. He chose to die here."

Brad bent over to look me in the eyes, "But back where I come from, he bury the dead as a sense of gratitude & honor. And you, Kasumi, are no longer a part of the clan."

_No longer part of the clan . . ._

He had angered me for the last time. I wanted to insult him back, but I realized he was right. I wasn't part of the clan anymore. I ran away from the clan & the code says I should die. I didn't even bother killing myself for dishonoring the clan. But this ninja knew the code. He did something wrong therefore he got it done & there he was.

_It should have been me._

My eyesight blurred. I was crying. I felt Brad hands against my cheek then he pulled me into his arms. My face was buried in his chest. I held him close, because I didn't want him to see me cry. He probably knew what I was thinking & how I felt. He wasn't ignorant of the world around him.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

It was dark & me & Brad had been burying the ninja for hours. He was finally in his grave. I took the katana & placed it in his cold hands atop of his chest. As I stared at him from a few feet above, he looked peaceful. I found it odd, but it was what Brad wanted. Brad suggested that we take his hood off so we could see his face, but I said not to. It was the way of the shinobi: leave him as he dies. The ninjas wear hoods for a reason. But I didn't mind that we take his obi & tie it around the stick I found.

I was sitting down at the fire while Brad was patting down the grave. He dropped the rocks we used to dig & took the obi in his hands. I watched him crawl over to the stick that stood out the grave & tie the black obi around the stick. He left a few straps out so they could fly in the wind. He then turned to me with a smile on his face.

"He's a free spirit now," he said as he stood up & watched the obi fly.

I smiled at the fact that Brad would go through all the trouble just to bury someone he didn't know. He just wanted to free the ninja.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I awoke later on that night. I don't know what woke me up, but I was up. I tried to sit up in the jacket wrapped around me. I stuck my arms out of the sleeves & sat up to see a fire still burning. My eyesight was sort of blurred, but I could see someone else near the fire. I stretched to ease my bones then blinked a couple of times.

"Good morning!"

I looked over at Brad smiling at me. He surprised me by his sudden outburst. I just smiled back.

"Is it morning?" I asked him.

"Judging by the position of the moon . . ."

I watched him look up at the sky, searching for the moon. It wasn't there. The sky was black. It was usually dark blue.

"I don't know," he finally said.

He drunk from his flask.

"Brad, I thought you didn't have anymore left."

"Hmm?" he still had his flask at his mouth.

"I said I thought you didn't have anymore left."

He took the flask from his mouth, wiped his mouth with his arm, & then passed the flask to me, "Have some."

_Have some?! What is it?!_

"No, I thought you didn't know how to use herbs & water to make alcohol."

"What made you think that?"

"You . . ."

_Is he kidding me?_

". . . didn't even know what plants you could eat!"

"You'd be surprised . . ."

"I already am . . ."

"If it bothers you, have some. You should be thirsty."

"It's . . ."

I looked inside the flask to see the fluid moving around.

"It's alcohol, Brad. It's not particularly good for your health."

He stared at me for a while & I stared at him. Then he just fell back onto the grass.

"You don't have to drink it. You can drink from the river instead."

I _was_ thirsty. And I never had alcohol before. Except the time when I was younger. It didn't taste good.

_A couple of sips wouldn't hurt._

I had to smell it first so I could get a sense of how it tasted. Smelled like nature. So I took a sip. It tasted fine so I took a couple more. And a couple more. I didn't realize I was drinking it all until the last drop landed on my tongue.

_That can't be all!_

I looked inside the flask then tried dumping some of it out. It was empty. I sighed. I was disappointed there weren't anymore. It tasted pretty good for alcohol.

_No wonder he likes it so much . . ._

I looked over at him. He was still lying on the ground.

_I wonder how he made this._

I went over to him & tapped him on the shoulder. He moved around then looked up at me. He looked drowsy.

I held the flask up, "How did you make this, Brad?"


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I sat down on top of the nearest rock near the river & shook the flask, listening to the water splash around inside. I had finally done it. With Brad's help, of coarse. I didn't know why I was so crazy about making it. Maybe I did know. I wanted to taste it again. That small amount wasn't enough for me. I had searched about the area where Brad searched, looking for the right ingredients. I kept running back to him to ask him a few questions about the herbs then I would run back where I was searching, finally knowing which ones he meant.

I was sweating from running back & forth & all around the area. And maybe sweaty from my urge just to taste it again. My zoris were soggy, chilling my feet & my hands were covered in dirt, deep under my nails, too. Although I couldn't see it, I was sure my hair was a mess, too. I could feel strands of it coming out of my ponytail & sticking to my skin. 

I was really hot. I grabbed my shirt to keep it off my skin & stretched out my pants, too. Then I turned back to the flask. My heart was beating so _quickly_. I held the flask, tightly & put it near my lips. That's when I noticed my hands were shaking. And a voice seemed to stop me from putting it anymore near my lips.

_Kasumi, what're you doing?! This is wrong! Do you know what can happen?!_

I quickly lowered the flask on my lap.

_I'll just take a sip then give it back to Brad, that's all . . ._

Before I knew it, I had thrown my head back & was drinking from the flask again. My head throbbed as the cool liquid slipped down my throat faster then I thought. I guess I did it too quickly.

_A sip, Kasumi, a sip!_

It was too late for that. Just like last time, I had engulfed the whole flask & was trying to get more.

_A refreshment. I'm fine._

I didn't think I would get dizzy & stagger about like Brad does. I didn't think that several gulps of it would intoxicate me at all! But I was wrong. As soon as I tried to stand, it felt like the world was falling over. I didn't realize I was until my face hit the ground.

_How strong is it?!_

I placed my hands on the ground to pick myself back up again, the rocks dug into my hands. Afterwards, I started off back to where Brad & the fire were. Or so I thought . . .

I could feel that my hands were sweaty, _really_ sweaty & that the flask had slipped out of my hands. I stopped so I could pick it up again, but it had suddenly rolled off in front of me.

_Where is it going?_

Without a warning, the world fell over again & I fell over onto my hip. Realizing that I couldn't walk in a straight line anymore, I decided to crawl on my hands & knees to where the flask disappeared. The grass was scratching against my skin, giving me an itchy feeling, but soon I didn't feel it at all for some reason. 

As I continued to crawl, the dirt started to feel colder than usual on my palms. Sort of like the ninja's hands. I could even feel the smooth surface of his hands from my palm to my fingertips. I blinked a couple of times to make sure it was the ground I was actually touching. It _was the ground, but . . ._

I gasped in shock when my hands sunk into the dirt inch by inch. I tried pulling them out & to my surprise, I had brought a pair of hands out with me.

_The ninja's hands . . ._

They _were_ his hands. I recognized those black gauntlets. I nearly screamed when his head just shot out the ground. His hood was covered in dirt. His hands reached up & took my shoulder & my face & tried to pull me under with him. I struggled against him, his fingertips pressing into my skin in his tight grip. I could barely breathe with his hand covering my face which surprisingly smelt of gentians.

I was really scared & confused as to what was happening. The ninja was _dead. There was no way he could have survived that suicide he performed on himself. I tried screaming for Brad, but it was no use. I guessed Brad would have been in a drowsy state, unable to hear my muffled cries._

The ninja was too strong for me. He dragged me under with him. My face hit the dirt first then came my shoulders & the rest of my body. All I could feel was the many clumps of dirt hitting face, my arms, my legs, & my stomach. I was terrified. I kept getting hit with the moist dirt that I could barely open my eyes to see what was happening.

But it finally ceased after a while. And when I was about to open my eyes, I had collided with something hard & fell down onto the soft, cool grass. My chest & head ached. I placed a hand on my chest & could my heart beating quickly through my wet shirt. Then I sat up & opened my eyes so see where I was. A forest for sure, but what part, I didn't know. I noticed the trees were taller than ones I've seen. Each of them had long vines swaying from them in the wind that I could not feel. The grass was green & seemed nourished & moist. There were many logs lying around with moss growing on them, blending them in with the grass.

_Have I been here before?_

I noticed another thing: the ninja was nowhere to be seen.

I was dizzy & could barely stand. But I didn't hurt. I looked forward to see what I had run into & there was a tree. I looked up at the tall tree then it happened so quickly that I was unable to retaliate. Two vines cut through the air & wrapped themselves around my shoulders. I struggled & screamed, trying to get away. I got loose, fell hard onto the ground, and then tried crawling away, ignoring the pain for now. But the vines wrapped themselves around me once again. This time they held a tight grip around my waist & chest, keeping me from moving my arms. I looked up at the tree & noticed something atop of my head. It was the flask. I stopped struggling to watch it tilt from side to side then finally spilling onto me. I closed my eyes shut as it soaked my whole face & I choked on it. I shook my head trying to get it out of my face so I could breathe.

"Kasumi!"

_. . . I know that voice . . ._

I opened my eyes & looked forward. The river, a plain, & an orange sky were ahead of me. They blurred then came back into eyesight when I blinked. And I could feel the wind blowing through my ears & on my bare skin, chilling me. I knew it must have been a dream or something close to it then.

My face was covered in water. I shook my face then heard his voice.

"No more wine for you."

I noticed Brad had his arms wrapped around me. They weren't vines at all. When I noticed this, he let go of me & stood up from the side of the river, looking down at me. I looked up at him, his tired eyes.

_Did I wake him up? What happened? . . . Was I . . .?_

I was about to stand up when a sharp headache hit me. I held my head trying to soothe the pain as best as I could. I had learned my lesson that night.


	8. Chapter 8

Sorry that I didn't update in so long.  Hopefully this chapter will make up for it.  And also, it seems this fic is becoming a bit more serious than funny which I had originally planned.  SO I changed it.

PS. I'm aware that that last chapter was a bit weird. o_O

Chapter 8

"I have no form, but I do have smell.  You can't see me, but I can see you.  I can kill you, but without me, you will die . . . What am I?"

I stared off into the horizon from behind Brad's shoulder.  It was a bright and beautiful morning.  The same morning for the past few days.  The sun was warm not burning hot like days in the past.  The clouds were in the sky and sometimes they would cover the sun, giving us with some shade.  But unlike most of the days in the past, there wasn't a wind.  But I suppose I wasn't so concerned about that.

I rested my head on Brad's shoulder as he carried me through the meadow.  I didn't want him to carry me on his back, but being such the gentle person that he was, he insisted that I did.  I was able to take in the scenery without having to worry about tree roots or snakes in my way.  Sometimes I would spot an animal in the meadow and I would point it out to Brad, but the animal would always run away and he would miss it.

And Brad has become quite the storyteller since the past few days.  I was sick after my incident with the wine and I didn't speak often.  So Brad would speak for me.  He would tell me about his trips to these different bars and towns and all these people he met.  He even told me about the time he saved this little girl from a well.  He said that she had been in there for days.  I couldn't believe how a parent could forget about their child like that.  It was just the same as the time I got lost in the forest when I was young.  It was getting dark and I was so afraid that I would be stuck in the forest forever.  I didn't know what animals lurked around in the forest during the nighttime and I was afraid to find out.  The little girl must have felt the same, afraid of being forgotten in a place that no one knew of.  Hayabusa was there to find me though and that was how I had met him.  It was noble of Brad to save that little girl.

"Kasumi?"

"Huh?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"What question?"

He looked back at me with a sort of amused grin.  I suppose I forgot we were playing a game.  I was too busy looking over the scenery.  But he repeated it for me without any complaint.

"Uh . . ."

I looked around, hoping to see something that may have encouraged him to speak of it.  Everything around me had a form and I could definitely see it.  Therefore it wasn't a tree or grass or water.  Brad started making a ticking noise.  He was imitating a clock.  Giving me a time limit wasn't going to help me.  So I just blabbered out whatever came to mind.

"A crow?"

Brad instantly let out a loud laugh that caused a flock of crows to fly away in the distance.  They had scattered into the sky and went in different directions before coming back down to the earth as a group just like before.  They were actually the reason I answered the way I did.  It sounded silly, but I had to say something.

"All right, the ride stops here."

I stepped off of Brad's back and was able to stretch my legs after hours of inactivity.  It was good to feel the blood coursing through them again and I found that I was stretching a little too much, because Brad was staring at me.

"Was I an uncomfortable ride?" he asked me, grinning.

I laughed a little and shook my head.  Then Brad started to look around the small clearing in the meadow he had stopped us in.  A group of people must have camped there a while ago because the grass was patted onto the earth and there was a small ditch in the center of the clearing where ashes and rocks laid.  I wondered how long ago that group had left, who they were, and where they could be off to.  Brad and I weren't the only ones traveling that land obviously.  And I began to wonder if it could have been the ninjas.  I could see them in my head, sharpening their sword near the pit of the fire.  They were out to get me and somehow we hadn't run into any of them for a while.  For days actually.  They were bound to show up and I had to let Brad know this.

"Brad," I said getting his attention.

He was already lying down on the grass, but he picked his head up to listen.

"The ninjas haven't showed up for quite some time.  We have to be careful.  Usually, the assaults make up for the dormancy," I told him before sitting down across from him.

I remembered those days very well.  The feeling of freedom for several days, but then it disappeared as soon as the shurikens come towards me in my sleep and I'm forced from my bed to run again.  The sound of my heavy footsteps on the soggy ground, the sound of my fall, and the sound of their blade colliding with mine; I remembered those sounds all too well.  I just hoped Brad would be okay.  He still wasn't aware of what he was up against.  It would have been all my fault if he was to get hurt.

Brad had been staring at me the whole time and I didn't even notice until he said my name.  I turned to look at him.

"Do you want to know the answer to that question?"

I nodded and then he waved his hand through the air.

"You're breathing it."

With that said, he laid back down again to soak in the sun.

_Breathing what?_

Air.  That was what it was.  I felt really silly for not figuring that out a long time ago.  But it always seems that whenever you figure out a riddle, you always curse yourself for not thinking up something as simple as that sooner.  The air had no form, but it had smell.  I couldn't see it, but it existed.  And I suppose the air could be harmful, but without it I couldn't live.

As I continued to sit and look around me, taking in the view and also keeping an eye out for any signs of an attack, the clouds were scattering and the blue sky was turning into a dull grey.  The air was becoming denser and cooler by the moment.  A fog was settling on the meadow.  I wrapped the jacket around me to keep the cool air from getting near my skin and I lay down on the grass to watch the fog get heavier and heavier.  It was strange though.  The weather changed so quickly.  I thought it was going to rain soon.  I turned to look at Brad to see if he noticed it, but he wasn't there.  I sat up to look around the clearing, but he was definitely nowhere in sight.

_Where could he have gone so quickly?  Why didn't I notice?_

It was too difficult to see any farther than a few feet, because of the fog.  I called out his name, but there was only silence in return.  The bugs and birds weren't chirping anymore.  It was a dead silence.  I stood up and looked around for him in hopes of finding him better, but it was foolish to think so.  Fog hid everything no matter where you were.  I was starting to believe it was some sort of omen, the abnormal change in the weather, the sudden quietness, the disappearance of Brad.

_I should stop worrying myself.  He'll be back.  Maybe he sensed the cold air moving in and just went off to get firewood._

I listened to my thoughts and sat back down, waiting for his return.  I had waited for about ten minutes before I decided that I couldn't wait anymore.  If the ninjas were anywhere near the meadow then Brad would be in danger.  I quickly got onto my feet and ran about the meadow, calling out his name.  I didn't care if the ninjas heard me.  All I cared for was Brad's safety.  He was kind to me the whole way through and I repay him by letting him die?!  There was no way.  I had my wakizashi out just in case I did run into any of them.

I must have called out his name over thirty times, but there was still no answer.  I couldn't tell which way I was going, because the sun was hidden in the clouds.  I was hoping to at least hear a small murmur of his voice by that time, but there was definitely nothing.  I tried not to panic, but I feared for his life.  I _had_ to keep looking.  So I ran and called out his name even more until I heard a sudden cracking noise and I stopped instantly.  I had stepped on something in the grass and when I looked down, it was his flask.  He must have left it behind when he came by there.  I reached down to pick it up and noticed his sack against a stone just a foot away from my face.  I quickly reached for it and saw that all of is belongings were still inside.

_Where could he have gone without his belongings?_

I placed his flask inside the sack and draped it over my shoulder before I continued my search for him.  I was in front of the forest again when I thought I heard laughter from within the trees.  It wasn't a woman or a child, but definitely a man.  And as I listened even more, I could tell it was Brad's laughter.  There was no mistake about it.  I've heard him laugh many times before.  And because he was laughing then I assumed he was okay.  I quickly sheathed my wakizashi and began to call out his name as I ran through the forest.  I was running and jumping, trying my hardest not to run into the trees that were barely visible in the fog.  Brad's laughter was getting louder until it was clear in my ears.  I stopped as two shadows appeared.  One was wiggling around on the ground and the other was just sitting on the ground.  Brad wasn't alone.

_Why would be leave and not come back for me?_

"Brad?" I said, unsure if I would be accepted to speak or not.

I got closer to see Brad lying on the ground, staring up at the tree limbs with what looked like a dazed grin.  He shot his head over towards me when I was only two feet away from him and he immediately grinned even wider.

"Hey, Kasumi!" he said.

He was drunk obviously.

"Why did you leave and not tell me?" I asked him.

I just hoped that it wasn't to go off to be drunk someplace, because I was sure that I wouldn't be able to find him.  He instantly quit smiling, placed a hand on his forehead, and then pushed his hair back.  He must have been trying to remember why.  And all the alcohol was to blame.

"I could have sworn you were right behind me," he finally said before taking a drink from the flask in his other hand.

_If I have his flask then where did he get that one?_

I had forgotten there was another person with Brad.  And as if on cue, that person was getting up from his seat on the ground and coming towards us.  His shadow became darker as his footsteps became heavier.  He was a tall man just like Brad and when he came into view, I was instantly faced with his wide grin.  He was happy about something obviously.  I stepped back to get a better view of him.  A tall, blonde man in a brown leather jacket, shorts, and boots.  There was also a large pack strapped to his back that indicated he was a traveler.  Maybe the traveler that was at that clearing in the meadow.

_What is he doing in the forests of __Japan__?_

"Hey, there uh . . ." he had outstretched his hand, "Kasumi!  Am I correct?"

He seemed friendly enough.  So I shook his hand.  But it didn't mean that I wasn't suspicious of him.

"Heard lots about you around the little towns," he continued to speak, "They're all looking for you.  You must have a bounty on your head."

_Bounty?_

"Oh, Kasumi, did I introduce you to John?!" Brad interrupted, picking his head up off the ground, "He and I met at a bar one afternoon back in China!  It's a coincidence that we both end up here!  Strange!"

He then continued to drink from the flask, but began shaking it when nothing came out.  He had enough of that stuff anyway.

"Well, I'm off once again!" the traveler said, putting on a hat as he turned to leave, "Nice meeting you again, Brad! Take care, you two!"

Brad had hollered after him, telling him good bye.  I watched him as he left.  I just didn't like something about him at all.  I didn't know if I considered him too friendly to be trustworthy or I had been away from foreign folk for too long to consider him a normal person as well.  But my assumptions were right when I noticed something near his leg.  It was a katana in a black sheath.

_What would a foreign traveler be doing with a martial arts weapon?_

I stared closer as best I could in the fog and noticed the red ribbon tied to the hilt and the red writing on the sheath.  And I gasped in shock.

_Could it be?_

The traveler had my ancestors' katana!  It was sacred to the clan and our family and kept safe from foreign reach in the depths of the shrine.  How he was able to obtain it, I didn't know.  He must have been very talented with stealth if he was able to get past the watchful eyes of the ninjas that guarded it.  And they would soon notice that it was gone and would go in heavy search of the katana.  The man was in danger.  And I had to take it from him for his own safety.

"Stop!" I cried out before he disappeared completely in the fog.

He stopped and looked back at me, asking what the matter was and by that time, I was already by his side.

"You must give me the katana you have with you!" I said, pointing at it.

"Why?!  This is _my_ treasure!"

His friendly voice was gone now and he was angry at me for demanding it.  They were all so ignorant of the way of the shinobi.  They didn't know what they were capable of.  He might as well have been walking about with a bull's eye on his back.

"The katana is a sacred weapon of my people!  They will try to take it from you with force! You are in danger!  Don't you understand?!"

He gripped the hilt of the katana to keep me from taking it from him, "I know it's sacred!  That's why I have it!  The girl didn't even see me take it!  She was too busy caught up in her own affairs!  Blame her!"

_Girl?_

Memories quickly surfaced in my head.  The memories of Ayane when we were younger.  She had often gone to see the katana and sometimes would take it.  Of course, she was often punished for taking it from its rightful place, but none of the punishments ever affected her.  At least, she made it seem as if they didn't.  What she would do with the katana, I didn't know.  The sword was a symbol of our ancestors; they have held it in their very hands.  And Ayane was often considered an outcast from our family.  She wanted to be accepted and I suppose taking the katana was a way of finding her place in our family.  She must have taken it again and took her eyes away from it long enough for _him_ to take it.

I had to get it back and return it.  Possibly I would be able to redeem myself that way.

_Or maybe Ayane would say that I was the one who had stolen it from the shrine and it was all fraud._

I didn't realize the man was still talking until I finally stopped daydreaming.

"I'm getting tons of money for this!"

I realized that trying to reason with him wasn't going to work.  And that _they_ were near us and I hadn't noticed until it was too late.  They were in the trees and in the bushes waiting for the perfect time to strike and take back what was stolen.  I could almost feel their eyes on my skin and I didn't dare move.  I searched for them with my eyes.  I saw one of them on a tree branch, hiding behind the leaves.  He was staring directly at me.  Another behind a tree.  And another behind me, moving quickly but cautiously towards us.  They knew that I could sense their presence.  They would attack anytime they wanted and I would have to dodge their attacks to save my life, the traveler's, and Brad's as well.  The two were completely unaware of their presence.

I slowly reached a hand up to the hilt of my wakizashi on my lower back to ready myself for the attack.  After seeing me move, they decided it was time to reveal themselves.

----------------

This chapter was longer than I thought it would be.  Anyway, hope you liked it.


End file.
